Day 23 -- Saint Vincent dePaul

"We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an object of His love."

I first heard about St. Vincent de Paul when I was very young. We had a priest at our parish, Fr. Francis McKenna, who opened a St. Vincent de Paul Society in town, which then moved to Derby and still is open. I take clothes I want to donate there. I remember going there with my mom when Michael and I were kids to help Fr. McKenna, and I remember when Fr. McKenna gave my brother a toy car which I know he still has.

St. Vincent de Paul was born to a peasant family on April 24, 1581 in France and the town is now known as Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Landes. (Nice! I would love to have something named after me when I die.) Vincent spent 4 years with the Franciscan Friars for his education. He then became a tutor and began divinity studies in 1596 and was ordained at age 20. He was taken captive by Turkish pirates and was sold into slavery. He was freed in 1607 when he converted one of his owners to Christianity. He returned to France and was at a parish near Paris where he started organizations to help the poor, abandoned, sick, and found jobs for the unemployed. He worked with Louise de Marillac and founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity and instituted the Congregation of Priests of the Mission (Lazarists). Vincent died in Parish on September 27, 1660 of natural causes. He was canonized by Pope Clement XII on June 16, 1737. He is the patron saint of many places and things, including, charities, hospitals, lepers, Madagascar, Prisoners, and the Diocese of Richmond, VA.


PRAYER

Dear Saint, the mere mention of your name suggests a litany of your virtues: humility, zeal, mercy, self-sacrifice. It also recalls your many foundations: Works of Mercy, Congregations, Societies. And the Church gratefully remembers your promotion of the priesthood. Inspire all Charitable Workers, especially those who minister to the poor - both the spiritually and the materially poor. Amen.

"Free your mind from all that troubles you; God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this (choice) without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires."